Thursday, 5/15/97 Tuatara’s eclectic jams form organized chaos
MUSIC: Backup band of various rockers supplies originality to
Eitzel show
By Kristin Fiore Daily Bruin Senior Staff Giant disco ball
lemons, firework explosions and dancers in vinyl leopard-skin pants
… When you’ve got six or seven of the best musicians around to
back you, who needs that crap? Certainly not Tuatara, who backed
Mark Eitzel (formerly of American Music Club) at the Gallery
Theatre downtown on Tuesday. The band – made up of members from
Luna, R.E.M., Critters Buggin and Screaming Trees – also played
their own material from their Epic debut, "Breaking the Ethers."
Scott McCaughey of Minus 5 was also on hand to add his unique blend
of guitar and organ-driven insanity, as well as Los Lobos’ Steve
Berlin on flute and sax. With eight musicians on stage, outnumbered
two to one by instruments, ranging from vibraphones (two of them)
to an upright bass, things could’ve gotten hectic. But aided by
years of experience in other bands, the group put on a smooth,
confident performance. Plus, they were having too much fun to worry
about logistics. Though known as rock artists in their respective
bands, the members of Tuatara are anything but. First, the band
covers everything from Latin and funk to cool jazz and what can
only be called organized mayhem. Most songs also go well over five
minutes. Second, the band played more to themselves than to the
audience, as though in a jam session or lost in their own musical
reverie. Some fans may find this unnerving, but it worked perfectly
for the atmosphere of the show. It was as though the fourth wall
had been broken down and the audience was privy to an incredible
jam among buddies. Third, each member plays at least four or five
instruments. Skerik (of Critters Buggin), the standout virtuoso of
sax, also dabbles in steel drums, piano, vibes, percussion, the
harmonium and the, uh, udu. This versatility and professionalism
allowed the band members to switch roles constantly and hop from
slide guitar to vibes to dulcimer. Aside from keeping things more
interesting for them, the musical chairs gave each song a different
flavor. Eitzel’s "Stunned and Frozen" was a great showcase for the
band, many of whom got a chance to solo. The song itself was a
lilting 3/4-time piece, more upbeat than usual. The musicians took
this as a cue to cut loose, and they did – going ballistic on the
vibes, rendering crazed drum and sax solos that left them and the
crowd breathless. "Dreamscape," another 3/4-time tune, fit its
moody title, with McCaughey on organ. The steel drums, a prominent
element on the album, picked up the eerie tone of the keyboard,
bass and minor key. "The Getaway" couldn’t have been more
different. Skerik, as always, punctuated the song’s dynamic funk
with a "honk honk" of the tenor sax. Berlin’s alto sax was soon
competing for supremacy, and the two began a wild duet that ended
in delicious cacophony. R.E.M.’s Peter Buck added to the insanity
on electric guitar. Buck mostly stuck to electric and acoustic
guitar, though for a song here and there he picked up the slide
guitar or dulcimer, as on "On Desert Sky," another one of the
band’s best. The dulcimer’s hollow twang, together with the
occasional pounding of a massive drum that resembled the crack of
thunder, created the feel of an Arizona lightning storm across an
otherwise dead still desert. This mastery of tone and technique was
the backbone of Eitzel’s incredibly powerful performance. Tuatara
is also the backup band on his solo debut, "West," which Buck
co-wrote and produced. Again, the familiarity the musicians had
with each other was apparent. Eitzel has a definite stage presence
– awkward and melancholy, yet immediately likeable and surprisingly
funny. He opened with, "Hello. It’s like a high school auditorium
in here," and dove into some sparse songs accompanied only by his
acoustic guitar. After the first two songs, he said, "Why bother
with the PA?" and climbed in front of the speakers to sing sans
microphone. The darkness of the theater, his amazing voice – which
belts as clear as a bell but also rasps – and the intimacy of one
guitar made it feel like a campfire gathering. Though he used a
mike for the Tuatara-backed songs, he remained at the very front of
the stage the whole time, the consummate performer. Though some of
his lyrics get somewhat self-indulgent and bleak, he exudes a
sincerity that makes you commiserate with him rather than pity or
dismiss him. He brought the band back out for the third song,
"Lower East Side Tourist," which is about his trip to New York with
the band Lush. Two weeks after he got home, one of its members
committed suicide. Typical Eitzel material. He balanced this with
humor and promises to "fuckin’ rock" when he returned for his next
set. Of course he didn’t, but that was the point. His melancholy
was a great contrast to the high-voltage jams of Tuatara, as the
intimacy of his voice was to their instrumental soundscapes. His
voice and delivery are much more passionate and fluid live than on
record. He sings as though in physical pain, like Bono in the
mid-’80s. As though his breath holds him up, he buckles his knees
and slumps his shoulders and spine with every exhalation, weighed
down by his own despairing words. Through much of the show, his
left arm was across his chest, his hand over his heart or tucked
under his armpit, as though he was shielding himself from
something. This is not surprising in light of the fact that, next
to Trent Reznor and Morrissey, he is the King of Gloom – a
reputation he earned with the American Music Club. This was most
apparent in a beautiful song that he and Buck wrote the day before
the show – at a radio interview, nonetheless. Buck was hesitant,
asking, "Do we know it?" as Eitzel produced a crumpled yellow piece
of note paper with lyrics on it and put it on the speaker in front
of him. But this was obviously mock worry, as the tragic love song
went off without a hitch. Anyone else singing, "Oh, me, I don’t
have anyone. Oh, me, my soul is frozen" would be asking for a swift
kick to the groin, but Eitzel made it work. He played most of the
songs off of "West" and a few additional tunes without the aid of
Tuatara. Unfortunately, one of the most beautiful ones is not on
his album. This was an unusual choice, as it opened the set. He
belted, "I swear you could see me if you could open your eyes," and
"I’ll never leave you" over gorgeous chord changes. From there
though, he picked up the pace a bit. His one hit and truly upbeat
song – and both of those terms are used extremely loosely – is "In
Your Life," a melodic gem Buck originally wrote for R.E.M. This one
closed the set, though Tuatara immediately returned to do a
brand-new song – one of the wildest of the night. Skerik, in usual
form, was jumping 3 feet into the air and throwing his head forward
like a chicken keeping the beat. Even Eitzel couldn’t stay off
stage. He creeped on in the back, hurling a tambourine into the
air, matching the stick-throwing feats of the drummer. At this
point, the seats of the Gallery Theatre were more of a hindrance
than a help. Sitting for the quiet songs of Eitzel’s set was great,
but during the bombastic jams of Tuatara, the seats were as
confining as straight jackets or velvet ropes. Every foot in the
aisle was tapping, heads of balding 40-year-olds and teenage punks
alike were bobbing away. Though his name was squashed at the bottom
of the show’s bill, Scott McCaughey of Minus 5 (whose other half is
Pete Buck, apparently the busiest guy in the business) was as big a
hit. He had the charisma of Freddie Mercury and the silliness and
sense of humor of Robin Williams, joking, "My turn. Sorry," as he
took the mike. Tuatara backed his songs too, of course, though they
were more rock-oriented. "This is our latest incarnation. You never
know who’s going to play on a particular night, but it’s all all
right with me," he commented, summing up the tone of the evening
and the ultimate statement on what a show should be. His mane of
frizzy, dirty-blond curls fluttered in his self-induced breeze as
he jumped into the air and tore up his guitar. The two-and-a-half
hour show was an example of what a show should be – no frills, no
vinyl outfits, just a bunch of great musicians kicking around for a
few hours, then going for beer. The audience’s diversity was a
testament to the band’s wide appeal, especially considering they
all come from rock bands that many young people haven’t even heard
of (with the obvious exception of R.E.M.). But if this show is any
indication, that may all change soon. Epic Records Tuatara played
the Gallery Theatre in support of their new instrumental,
jazz-influenced album, "Breaking the Ethers." (l- r) Barrett
Martin, Skerik, Justin Harwood, and Peter Buck. Related Links:
Tuatara Info